Saika Rakushun
"I'm the White Tiger of the West, Byakko! I am Raku no Roku, the once master of Western District 60, the bombastic fantastic romantic whose fist downs men and mere touch lays women!" - Saika Rakushun Saika Rakushun is a Shinigami, Captain of the Ninth Division of Research and Development. ''Story'' Saika was born in Soul Society, but that is not where his true origin lies. Raku's body is really a reincarnated form of a previous Captain of the Gotei, Jinsoku. This was caused due to the Lost Soul Project: a sister device of the Soul Data Project: a series of experiments conducted in a time before the Age of Masaru. The late Captain of the Tenth, Jinsoku, had barely survived the Age of Turmoil and in between then and before the Mask War Jin had acquired Hollow Poisoning from an S-Rank Hollow. This, in conjunction with the 10th Division Captain's birthright of the Lost Soul Project caused his being to become entirely unstable. Jinsoku passed away shortly before the Mask War had ended. However the aspect of the Lost Soul Project was that those created from the project had initially split off the test subjects from the original experiments, and due to their unstable bonds of their souls, could in turn split even further. Rakushun was that being- the next soul produced from Jinsoku 27 years in The Calm. Born and raised in Western Rukongai's District 60, a bustling and rather dangerous District, Raku therein learned to survive. Although this District wasn't the deadliest like Zaraki, it more so concerned street smarts along with instinct to grow. Grow he did, as Saika's natural inherent talents from Jinsoku eventually enabled him to wrestle control of a neighborhood when he was roughly 100 years old, becoming a sort of Leader- or "Oyabun". More or less Saika became a sort of private police for that neighborhood, protecting his friends and family there (though he would turn the other cheek in more clandestine operations- which were part of living). For about a century life had treated him fairly at this point; few had died yet under his protection, he was treated as a local hero, and many came to aid in his cause- thus expanding his territory. However many rival gangs and upstarts were there to constantly challenge and encroach in his relatively peaceful area. One by one Raku beat these gang lords until he had gained almost half of District 60 under his control. He even gained the title "Raku No Roku", translating to "Raku of the 6", or 60, for short. The stories spread of an unbeatable phantom, a "Lost King" whose skills rivaled Shinigami; Saika was a notorious leader that lurked within those depths and fought for the safety of his District. Within 20 years Shinigami to investigate these outrageous rumors and quell a District from becoming completely independent from the Gotei 13. Agent after agent did come back, each one telling a different tale of this "Oyabun" and his prowess. Several years later countless unseated officers were forced back to Seireitei. Simply put, they now wanted to turn this potential danger into an ally and sent in several seated officers to apprehend Saika. After striking a deal that he be allowed to remain in constant contact with his District and be allowed to have a station there once graduated from the Academy, did Rakushun accept- although technically he was their prisoner, they still didn't want to lose a valuable asset... and this was truly an empty promise. Seven years later and with Jinsoku's skills flowing through him Raku had passed with exceptional marks in most subjects (though not the best, mostly due to his laziness), and the promising graduate was offered an Officer position in the Keigun immediately, to solidly maintain a wary eye on the upstart of the past while keeping their enemy close. Either way Saika would have to serve one term or another in an effort to "repay" his debt to the Gotei. Despite the tantalizing proposition this barred him from ever returning back to his District, for the Keigun only monitored internal affairs of the Gotei and this ploy was also made to keep the former "Oyabun of the 60th District under their full control. Thus he declined, becoming a Shinigami and awarded with a Zanpakutou. Denied his station in his District, the newly recruited Shinigami/Slave was installed within the 7th Division: a Division that housed only prisoners of the Gotei, and their contract was fulfilled by offering servitude in exchange for shortening their sentences to eventually gain freedom. After finding out that he was their prisoner and nothing more than a tool, Rakushun's persona became colder and empty. What was once the caring Oyabun, Raku No Roku, was now Saika Rakushun, unseated officer of the Seventh Division, an expendable weapon sent on suicide missions that no normal Shinigami would even be allowed to undertake. Luckily for his past self Saika had the skill to survive countless missions where normal Shinigami failed. However he became estranged from his former self and knowing his purpose, he too cared little for his life. About half a century later in what was he thought his last and final mission that would either gain his freedom or surely take his life Shun gained his Shi Kai. In the aftermath of that brutal and harrowing battle he discovered that his Zanpakutou housed the spirit of his former self, Jinsoku. The old hero from the Ages of Masaru and Turmoil kept his memories intact and explained to Rakushun of their interweaving story. With his newfound freedom in the palm of his hands Rakushun now had a true purpose: to join the 9th Division, Research and Development, and study the old records of the Soul Data Project/ Lost Soul Project and expand upon them. After a century he had risen to seated officer status; he absorbed information quickly so that he could find out more of his past. During that time period he regained the remains of his personality and built himself to be (somewhat) dedicated. Recklessly one night after drinking Raku had inadvertently challenged a 'stranger' to a fight. After a literally death-defying battle that had escalated far above the standards of a drunken brawl, little did he realize what he had done: defeated his own Captain, the Captain of the 9th. And as it so happened did he become the unexpected Captain of the 9th overnight, gaining notice to his already impressive past, and without Ban Kai to boot. Skipping forward to the present, Rakushun is one of the least likely people one would expect as a Captain, but he attends to his duties well (and also learning Ban kai). Having paid off his debt to the Gotei by creating and expanding on Developmental Technology, the man still occasionally visits his home District to make sure nothing has gone wrong in his absence. ''Appearance'' Rakushun's crown of disheveled black hair is streaked with random silver strips and falls to about nose length; though his ebon tresses almost always cover his right eye which was scarred by his previous life and Hollow Poisoning. That eye is totally black, as if the ocular cavity was scooped out and replaced by utter darkness. His other eye is a dark emerald green, which is usually half open (revealing either a disinterested or sleepy look). A fairly tan complexion covers a strongly built musculature, however the research head is more defined than he is bulky. It's almost blemish free save for a few random scars from near countless battles during his life in Rukongai and tenure in the 7th Division. Saika is also ambidextrous and taught himself to pick things up with his toes (though he usually wears boots). Despite his claims of being "damn fine", he is of fairly average looks. In a freak accident with his subordinate Atsuma Sanada, Rakushun has gained a pair of horns protruding from his forehead. Pure bone marrow underneath the fleshy extensions, his horns have now given him a reputation of being devilish and evil to those that don't know him. Also unexpectedly, his horns have been known to grow in relation to his libido... Skipping out on traditional Shinigami clothing the Captain prefers to wear a gray-bodied, white sleeved "Haori", with its collar, sleeves, and tails furred. Shoulder plates cover the sides of his arms, and the rest of the sleeves are lined with extraneous buckles. Inside the Haori contains dozens of pockets for the stuffing. Shirtless underneath Raku covers his stomach, forearms, and hands in cloth, and wears black almost tight trousers, also adorned with extraneous buckles and chains, including a hole in the knee. A studded belt hangs chains around his sides. Lastly his boots are literally steel toed and black. ''Personality'' An asshole with a heart of silver (nobody's perfect). Saika Rakushun bears a facade born from nearly half a millennium. In public and/or around those that he does not know causes him to be a nearly stone-faced robot with an equally cold exterior, lacking most signs of emotion and retains a level head or relatively calm appearance. It seems as if the only person Rakushun cares for is himself considering he is brutally arrogant; his ego and self-confidence bloats to such a degree that sometimes that is all he talks about if given the chance. In fact Saika loves the attention he gets and perhaps that's the main reason he boasts so much at times. The horned man has a tendency to ignore proper tact around strangers, even going so far as to be an unsympathetic and an amoral person that knows nothing of basic human mentality. He is widely respected through fear by most of his subordinates due to his harsh punishments, strict requirements, and expectations of proper obedience and behavior. This goes hand in hand with the fact that Raku is a well-known and notorious lecher, pervert, and womanizer- though he usually finds his limits, and pushes them to their utmost extreme. Oftentimes the man's head is in the gutter despite being being the Captain of the 9th: Research and Development. Though the majority of this is a false shell. Saika does indeed have a great range of emotions, facial expressions, and life within... he just does not want others to see it and get close. He dares not desire to form bonds or relationships with the majority of people he encounters everyday and would rather allow them to see the callous and rude individual than for what he really is. Truth be told he is easygoing- to the point of laziness and indifference. There are few things which can offset the normally nonchalant mood of Rakushun. Work, for example, causes him to be either completely dedicated- or a lazy, bored, procrastinator. He has a slightly askew sense of humor and tends to push it at times. The Captain likes to tip hard workers- a display that he does admire his fellow working man and rewards them accordingly. Rakushun indeed cares for his subordinates but would rather abide by his harsh love instead. Truthfully he cares for most individuals though would rather not let any of them know until he wanted it as such. He fears the loss of others and the loss of existence. ''Zanpakutou'' Sealed Form Having the general shape of a simple black lacquered tonfa, the longer end hides the blade. Its handles are wrapped in gray cloth; Rakushun likes to wrap the strips of bandages around his wrist to avoid losing the weapon in combat. However, upon closer inspection, the dual handles can be used as a smoking pipe- which Saika may use on special occassions. Sokugin is normally tucked behind his back, in a special holster tailored to his pants. Zanpakutou Spirit Shikai: Sokugin :Release Phrase: "Your breath shines silver. The air you color hardens, and turns to steel. Smoke, Sokugin!" Giniki no Kou - (Silver Breath of Steel): Saika may bend the shape of the silver smoke, thus creating a suitable form for whatever situation may arise. However, this is only limited to crude and simple shapes (i.e. A blade, an arm), and its size is limited by how much Reiatsu is infused to create the shape - 1 point of Reiatsu is equal to 1 pound of molded smoke. With a conscious thought, the silver smoke crafted may instantly harden to the true density of its form, a Zanpakutou. Control of shaping and direction is lost immediately as gravity and physics take its hold on the wrought steel. Any objects solidified can retain their density indefinitely, or return back to its original state. Bankai: Kyourangai Sokugin :Form: A vast expanse of silver mist bursts into the air. Portions of smoke solidifies into armor, creating a jagged and plated body-covering form. The armor is primarily black with silver cracks lining it, akin to how a stream of magma courses from the face of a volcano. Ability - Gingumo no Kouten (Silver Cloud of Steel Heaven): The silvery smoke released by Saika increases dramatically in size, traversing the distance of roughly a football field. He is still able to bend the shape of the smoke and gather it as he wishes can create more intricate shapes (i.e. a wall of blades, thorny vines, dozens of arms), but nothing overly complex (a person). 1 point of Reiatsu is equal to 20 pounds of the smoke when shaped and molded. Due to the strength of the Ban Kai, any additional smoke created in the midst of battle, not including the silver smoke, may be manipulated. Attack - Juukakise (Heavy Weapons Torrent): Similar to the ability, Juukakise instead focuses on larger and heavier weapons to create from Sokugin. 1 point of Reiatsu is equal to 10 pounds of the smoke when shaped and molded. Therefore 100 Reiatsu could create 1 ton of a gargantuan weapon, which Saika is allowed to lift and swing with impunity. Too large a weapon and it becomes ungainly, however, Raku has been known to wield swords the length of commercial trucks... Attack - Ginenkama (Silver Smoke Demon): Reiatsu leaks constantly, whether by foe or ally, and is stored within the massive cloud of silver smoke. The steel cloud then absorbs the naturally emitted Reiatsu- 1% of the enemy/enemies- being recycled and subsumed back to Rakushun to rise his Kidou threshold. 1% of Saika's Reiatsu is the maximum limit per round. Attack - Mugen Unkai (Infinite Sea of Clouds): Perchance Rakushun deplete the wealthy reservoir of steel smoke, a mere cost of 3% of his Reiatsu can instantly summon another stadium sized cloud to appear. Unique Feats Joushou, Kuukan Ga Subete Wo Kuiarasu - "Invincible, The Void Devours All" The Void is an indomitable source of power and Saika Rakushun has developed it to become nearly unwavering in the face of negative forces and status effects. Once activated, Joushou will block off all negative status effects, penalties, and manipulations. As an additional effect, the magnitude of an opponent's Reiatsu cannot negatively affect Rakushun. Much like a part of the body's natural defense mechanism, Joushou is considered 'passive'. Simply put, against any debuff/ negative status effect, Rakushun's Reiatsu is calculated as being 2 times greater in relation of his opponent's skill. Against opponent's Kai/Release abilities, Raku's Reiatsu is calculated as being 1.5 times greater in relation. Tokachiishi Dokuke Ikidumaru - "To Be Stifled by Obsidian Maliciousness/Poison Air/Poisonous Nature" The culmination of Saika Rakushun's knowledge, curses, and blessings. Hollow poisoning runs deeply within his spiritual body, but is kept focused upon its point of origin- the Captain's dead right eye. By running the poison of a fabled S-Rank Hollow into his Iron Lungs, the maleficent substance is converted into a gaseous form and is then exhaled through the mouth and/or nostrils. Its appearance is similar to smoke, but darker in hue and more of a charcoal color than a faint gray; although the miasma can easily be masked by simply exhaling cigarette smoke or through the Zanpakutou release ability of the research head. When utilizing this ability and the silver breath of Sokugin, the poisonous air runs jagged ebony streaks akin to foreboding lightning in a thundercloud. The gas has no true discernible scent, and its range encompasses Saika for three rounds at a radius of 10 meters. Once inhaled by the opponent, the poisoning immediately takes route within the spiritual body. Less refined than the actual deadly substance within Saika, it seals off and inhibits a specific region of the reiryoku and reiatsu flow of the victim- thus leading to a complete inability to utilize a particular skill. Whether it be a Hollow ability, Feat, or Division Tech, the adversary that inhaled the gas cannot use said skill for a maximum of three rounds. This comes at a price for the research head as well. Since he has let the poisoning take course within his own body, he also suffers the loss of an "equal" ability- an "eye for an eye" in a cruel twist of irony- along with the loss of spiritual pressure the opponent would have normally burnt in using their now lost talent. If it is a passive ability no less than 1,000 Reiatsu is drained. However Raku must first witness his adversary's ability first before he can seal it off and in conjunction with his Third Eye Division Technique, can ascertain and contain the skill that was once used against him. Cannot work on opponents twice as strong as Saika in Reiatsu. Can be used a maximum of three times in a single fight. Those that have attained United Front with Saika may receive immunity to the poison cloud. Kinzokugenso Hitomane Sokkoku Musan - "Metallic Mimicry Instantly Vanishing" Saika's body fades into mist, and ultimately nothingness. Dispersing from the silver breath of Sokugin is a nearly flawless clone of Rakushun, and the transition between these two moments is almost instantaneous. The replica is meant to divert and contain an enemy's attack as it is destroyed, allowing the true Raku to emerge from the silvery clouds of his Kai unscathed from an attack. Shifting his entire form, let alone creating a mimicry of himself with his Zanpakutou is an enormous strain; his body succumbs to a brief fit of nausea or uneasiness- though it is usually enough to safely move away from whatever affront he encounters for recuperation. The cost is 7% of his Reiatsu and can only be used a maximum of 4 times in battle. Kidou Ikichi Kazou - "Demon Arts Threshold Increase" Trained Feat As the name implies the character undertaking this Feat will have their Kidou threshold increased due to their talents over the Demon Arts. Instead of the cap being at 150% of the Kidou stat, the threshold is now raised to 175%. Requirements - Eishouhaki - "1,000 Kidou" and the ability to completely bypass the incantation of a mid-level Kidou at 100% power, which must be shown in training collab to learn. ''Trivia'' ''Gallery'' Category:Shinigami Category:Captains Category:Bankai Users Category:Ninth Division